Riddle Me Out: Emerging Utilization of Escape Rooms as a NoVel Approach to NP Student EducAtion and Learning, The “REVEAL - NP Curriculum Project”

Abstract

Introduction: This study explores the use of a virtual escape room to enhance clinical reasoning (CR) skills in Nurse Practitioner (NP) students, specifically in the diagnosis and management of headaches in primary care. With increasing demand for NP education and faculty shortages, innovative teaching methods are needed. Virtual escape rooms, a gamified learning approach, provide an interactive, engaging way to develop CR skills. Methods: A mixed-methods design was used to assess the perceptions of 12 NP students from two cohorts at Thompson Rivers University. Results: All 12 students participated in the virtual escape room experience and the virtual debriefing session. Only 7 of the 12 students completed the post-simulation survey, accounting for a 58% return. Discussion: Tenants of the escape room emerged, such as enjoyment, versatility, and transferability of this learning modality to other topics, summarized within the theme of satisfaction. Much of the commentary was positive and participants expressed gratitude for being part of the experience. Conclusion: The study supports virtual escape rooms as a promising educational tool for NP programs and suggests further research with larger samples and improvements in the platform’s usability.